Posted on 05/11/2010 9:09:10 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Unseen beyond the grazing Holsteins and rolling pastures of eastern Belgium, the 12-foot-long tapered metal cylinders sit in their underground vaults, waiting for the doomsday call that never came. Each packs the power of many Hiroshimas.
America's oldest nuclear weapons -- unwanted, outdated, a legacy of the 20th century -- are now the focus of a political struggle that could shake the NATO alliance in the 21st.
The questions hanging over the B-61 bombs, an estimated 200 of them on six air bases across Europe, relate to not just why they're still here but how safe and secure they are.
For one thing, al Qaeda terrorists already have targeted this Belgian air base 52 miles northeast of Brussels. For another, U.S. Air Force inspectors found inadequate security at most of the six sites. And three months ago a "bombspotter" team, anti-nuclear activists, penetrated nearly a half-mile inside Kleine Brogel, reaching its innermost bunkers.
"It was a shock," Theo Kelchtermans, mayor of the neighboring town of Peer, said of the protesters' infiltration, which went unchallenged for an hour. His bottom line: "I hope these bombs will disappear."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Part in red is the warhead. I've never heard of a bomb that has booby traps in it that detonate when disassembling the unit. Especially US warheads given the idiots you'll find around flight-lines and ammunition dumps...
Yes. And Commie Chineses missiles don’t depend on US guidance designs either.
I really can’t comment on that.
Thank you for pointing this out.
Every country has a different PAL methods. Some do not have one at all.
Right you are, nully. They also need to know what is what, and be able to tell whether or not the physics package, casing, etc. are compromised or intact just in order to do the job without it being a one-way trip.
I only know of the American PAL methods. Check out my “homepage”. It gives a description there.
It’s rather public knowledge, you can find it on Wikipedia and lots of other sources, too...
I know that, but do others know that?
Google “B-61 bomb” and click on the first link. It’s not like it’s a buried or hard-to-find piece of information given the world’s most popular search engine brings the information up in the very first link...
You know that,I know that, but do others who are not immersed in this know that?
Then I guess we’ve already given it away by stating in the original article that it was a B-61 bomb. Unless you think bad guys aren’t smart enough to go to Google and type in B-61 bomb? Come on...
I really do not think they are not capable. They are better of stealing a nuke from Iran,Russia,China or North Korea where is much easier with no safeguards like we have.
That is the most likely scenario. A loose nuke from Iran,North Kora,Russia or China.
That is as concise and clear an explanation as I have seen. Paragraphs would help, though...
Disassembly? Don’t know... But I can guarantee that they know how to use Google and darn sure can find out about the B-61. If they’re that ignorant, then give them bombs and grenades and let them practice and kill themselves.
Well, Thank you. I take pride in my research in nuclear warfare.
Therefore we only need to be not quite so careless, not quite so neglectful, and not quite so slovenly.
OTOH, some opponents might find if more satisfying to use our own technology against us.
A society that will never be capable of making a passenger jet just might produce a score of individuals willing to give their lives to use a few to just to make a point (and get a free admission ticket to a whorehouse-in-the-sky)
I take pride in the bits and pieces I’ve made for them as well.
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